I've been a lurker around this site for a while now, answering my own questions by reading others postings and the stickies. The wife needs a Chistmas list from me this year, and I've been interested in getting into reloading for awhile now, as the factory loadings aren't giving me what I like as far as accuracy. What I'm asking for is your suggestions on equipment such as press scale dies and must have equip. I shoot a 7rm Sendero and would like to reach to a max of 600yds. Would be shooting 160 accubonds for mostly deer as wind seems to be a fact of life around here and some shots may be very close.
I started with the RCBS Rockchucker kit for about $250, came with most everything you need to at least get started. While I have since added a few more toys as my reloading has advanced the basic kit still covers most of the bases.
As for dies, well thats a Ford vs Chevy thing. I personally like the Redding brand, a little more costly but worth it.
Chris
__________________
Ignorance can be treated with education, sadly there is no cure for stupidity.
Thanks for the reply, ran a few numbers on things since I didn't like alot of things in the kits. I wanted a good quality scale which seems to be the weak point in most of the kits. I came out to roughly 450.00 minus the trimmer, dies and neck turner. None of that comes in the kit, so that didn't seem too bad to get exactly what I wanted. I still need some direction on the dies, I'm leaning toward the Redding comp or S type 3 die sets with the body dies, do I really need the comp neck sizer or not, both these sets come with the comp seater die? Also need direction on the trimmer and neck turner.
Ditch the neck turner. We all bought one and they are not good for much except for ruining brass. I probably ruined 300 cases trying to learn how to turn necks. Instead buy a "Stupid Guage". They cost about $100.00 and will let you know how stupid you are. We all have one of those too. Some people call them runout guages but all they measure is how bad a job you did in reloading and how crooked your bullet is. Runout is way more important than neck turning and neither is very important at 600 yards shooting deer.
Dies to get is a good bullet seater first and foremost. For a beginner with a rifle with a factory chamber a Forster benchrest seater will be fine. I would get a full length sizing die and if you really want one, then a neck sizer last. You cannot skip the full length die, but you can live just fine without the neck die. Partial full length sizing results in very accurate ammo, although if you want to start a war of words just repeat what I said and the fight will begin. If you want to get a Forster set that is fine. I use Forster bench rest seaters on all of my rifles except the 7AM and that came with the Redding. The Redding Seater is really a great die but you can't tell that until you are past 1000 yards unless you are a nationally ranked benchrest shooter which some people on the forum are.
Linear Mode
